Stocking-supporter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 4 J. B. sWBETsER. Y

' STOCKING SUPPORTER. I 7 No. 335,784. Patented Feb. 9,.1886.

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JEWETT B.SIVEETSER, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS.

STOCKlNG SUPPCRTER.

E B'PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,784, datedFebruary 9, 1886.

I Application filed October 31, 1885. Serial No. 181,492. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J nwnrr B. Swnnrsna, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dan'- vers, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inStocking-Supporters, of which the following is a specification,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to improvements in stocking-supporters; andthe novelty consists in the peculiar construction and combination ofparts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and specificallypointed out in the claim.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved stockingsupporter which can be worn with great ease and convenience, and whichshall not bind and chafe or irritate the limb of the wearer; and afurther object is to provide a stocking-supporter which shall possessstrength, durability, and simplicity of construction and cheapness ofmanufacture.

In the accompanying drawings I have Illustrated several forms ofsupporting plates or strips with ditferently-constructed devices forclamping both the stocking and the boot of the wearer.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of myimproved stockingsupporter in position for use, and having twodetachable spring-clamping devices. Fig. 2 is an elevation of anotherformof supporting plate or strip designed to be detachably fastened tothe shoe and detachably connected to the stocking. Figs. 3 to 7,inclusive, represent different forms of the device.

Referring to the drawings, in which like lett ers of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates my improvedstocking-supporter, designed to be secured at its lower end to the bootor shoe of the wearer and at its upper end to the stocking at or nearthe upper edge thereof. The plate or strip A is made of metal to givestrength and durability to the device, and to provide a plate or striphaving the necessary flexibility to enable it to give or yield to themovements of the wearer, and yet possess sufficient rigidity to properlysupport the stocking. I take a strip or plate of thin steel and temperthe same until the desired degree of elasticity has been attained. Aspring plate or strip is thus provided which possesses the necessaryrequisites of strength, durability, and elasticity, and

which can be conveniently worn without hinderance, and which can bemanufactured and sold very cheaply.

I will now proceed to describe some of the forms of devices which may beemployed to secure the strip or plate 'to the boot and stocking; but Iwould have it understood that I do not desire to limit myself to anyparticular form of device, as I am aware that many changes andmodifications therein can be made.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the upper and lower ends of the plate or stripA are provided with a spring-clamping device, 13, which con sists of twoserrated clamping-jaws and a coiled spring, each clasp being rigidlysecured to the ends of the plate or strip in any suitable or preferablemanner.

In Fig. 2 the lower end of the plate or strip A is provided with one ormore apertures, (3, through one of which a separable button or stud ispassed, to detachably secure the lower end of the spring plate or stripA to the boot or shoe, while the upper end of said strip A is bifurcatedby a cut, 0, so as to provide two arms, 0. The upper ends of the arms 0are rounded, so as to obviate the danger of cutting the stocking, andthe cut 0 is made gradually tapering to its terminal point.

In use the upper edge or end of the stocking is inserted into the cut 0between the arms 0, and is thus firmly and securely held in place andsupported by the plate A, the stocking having been first drawn taut toprevent wrinkles appearing in the same, and so as to exert sufficientstrain or tension on the plate A to hold the latter from becomingloosened and detached and in its proper vertical position.

By means of the apertures at the bottom of the strip or plate it can beadjusted to accommodate stockings of varying lengths, and when this formof fastening device is employed to hold the plate to the boot by thestud the stocking is detached from the strip or plate when it is desiredto remove the shoe and stocking, and said strip remains attached to theboot.

The spring strip or plate shown in Fig. 3 is provided with thespringclasp B at its lower end to detachably connect the device to theICO shoe or boot, while the upper end has the bifurcated portion toprovide the two clampingarms In Fig. 4 the strip or plate is providedwith the openings 0 at its lower end to secure the device to the boot bya stud, while the upper end of said strip is provided with theclamping-arms 0.

Intermediate of its point of attachment to the shoe and stocking or theclamping-arms at its upper end the strip or plate is enlarged, as at d,and provided with an enlarged opening, (1, and a tapering slot, 1whereby the stocking may be secured in the tapering slot (1 when it isnot of sufficient length to fit in the arms 0 at the upper end, theenlarged opening (1 permitting of the ready insertion and removal of thestocking at this point.

The device shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings has two laterally-divergingarms, D, which are bent or rounded in the direction of their length, soas to fit or embrace the limb of the wearer. The upper ends of thesearms D are provided. with a tapering slot and rounded ends to secure theupper end of the stocking therein, and at the point where said arms Ddiverge from the plate or strip A a tapering narrow notch or cut, 6, ismade to secure the stocking below the upper edge thereof, thus providingfor three points of attachment of the stocking to the plate A and thearms D thereof and the secure holding and supporting of the stocking.

The lower end of the spring plate or strip A (shown in Fig. 6) isprovided with a clasp, B, for detachably securing the device to theboot, while the upper end of said strip or plate is provided with asafety pin, F, which comprises two arms, ff, bent and coiled at oneend'to provide a spring-arm, which is pointed and fits into a guardsecured to the rigid arm at the end of the device opposite to the coil,the safetypin in this case being adapted to engage and hold the stockingto the supporting strip or plate.

A spring-clasp of still another construction is shown in Fig. 7, forsecuring the lower end of the strip or plate to the shoe or boot. Inthis construction the lower end of the metallic plate or strip is bentupon itself, as at g, and then again bent to provide a springarm, g,

which is adapted to fit and clamp one of the vertical faces of the upperend of the boot,

while the arm 9 clamps or bears against the other surface of said boot.The upper end of the strip or plate A is enlarged, and provided with anopening, h, and a tapering slot, h, extending downwardly and adapted toreceive and support a stocking in the manner hereinbefore described, andas will be readily understood. When the lower end of the plate orstripis perforated, and it becomes necessary to use a stud to secure thesame to the boot, the strip is laid alongside of and against the outerface of the boot near the upper edge, and at or near the middle thereof,and the stud is passed through one of the apertures.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it will be observed that I provide a stocking-supporter which entirelydispenses with the use of clamping-bands and suspending cords or straps,which can be worn with ease and without hinderance and inconvenience,which is simple, strong, durable, and light in its construction, can bemanufactured and sold very cheaply, is thoroughly effective in itsoperation, can be readily and quickly adjusted and secured in position,and easily and readily detached to permit of its removal from the shoeand stocking, which provides for the necessary flexibility to permit thefree movement of the wearer, and is not liable to tear or cause unduewear upon the stocking.

Any preferred form of separable button or stud may be employed to securethe lower end of the plate A to the boot or shoe.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent,-is

As an improved article of manufacture, a stocking-supporter comprisingan elastic 1netallic plate or strip composed of a single piece, andconstructed substantially as described,and having a clasp at one end toengage with the top of the stocking and another clasp at the other endadapted to be secured to the top of the shoe, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing asmy own I havehereto affixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

' JEWVETT BAYRD SWEETSER.

\Vitnesses:

FRITZ O. GLEIOHMANN, JAMES F. KENNEY.

